1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus and an electronic apparatus operation system operating subsequent to the authentication of a user, a system and method for authenticating the user, and an information storage medium for storing authentication information.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since the risk of theft of onboard apparatuses such as a car audio set is high today, various anti-theft means are devised and implemented in the attachment system of an apparatus and the front panel thereof.
When such a set is demounted for transportation, the set may be subject to various problems including scratches, damage, or even missing in the course of transportation. To prevent the set from missing, a security function using a code input to the set is contemplated. But such a security is troublesome. If the input code is simplified for easy operation, the level of security is lowered.
Another type of code input method has been proposed in which an input code may be stored in a card or a semiconductor storage medium, and the set is started by inserting the card into the set. This method presents another security problem that data to be input can be copied.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a technique that allows security lock to be disengaged in response to an easy operation while assuring the safety of input data.
An electronic apparatus of the present invention in a first aspect includes a control unit for reading information from an information storage medium which stores first identification information, an operation unit which operates under the control of the control unit, and a memory which stores second identification, and which the control unit reads information from and writes information to, wherein when a portion of the first identification information read from the information storage medium coincides with the whole or portion of the second identification information stored in the storage unit, the control unit causes the operation unit to operate, and causes the memory to store another portion of the first identification information as a portion of the second identification information.
In this arrangement, a user adds information set by the user himself to the first identification information or overwrites a portion of the first identification information with the user set information in the information storage medium. The control unit determines whether a portion of the first identification information coincides with the second identification information. If the first identification information prior to the addition or overwriting by the user coincides with the second identification information, the control unit causes the operation unit to operate. The other portion of the first identification information, namely, the information added or written by the user is stored as the portion of the second identification information. The second identification information thus contains the added (overwriting) information in the information storage medium.
Even if the user further adds information to the first identification information or further overwrites the first identification, a portion of the first identification information (the portion other than the added portion or the overwriting portion), which is subjected to comparison by the control unit, coincides with the whole or portion of the second identification information including information previously added or written by the user. The control unit causes the operation unit to operate, based on the determination that the portion of the first identification information coincides with the second identification information, and furthermore, the control unit stores newly added or overwriting information of the first identification information as a portion of the second identification information. Specifically, even if the user adds information to the first identification information or overwrites the first identification information, the control unit determines whether the two pieces of identification information, taking into consideration the added information or overwriting information coincide with each other next time. The control unit thus disengages security lock even if the user adds information to the identification information or overwrites the identification information.
Specifically, when information to be read, out of the first identification information, includes an additional portion, and when the remaining portion other than the additional portion coincides with the second identification information, the control unit may cause the memory to additionally store the additional portion as a portion of the second identification information. In this arrangement, the user successively adds first identification information.
Preferably, the control unit causes the information storage medium to store overwrite inhibition information with the additional portion associated therewith when the control unit reads the additional portion. In this arrangement, the read portion of the first identification information is free from overwriting, and there is no possibility that overwriting causes the second identification information on the electronic apparatus to be noncoincident with the first identification information.
Preferably, when information to be read, out of the first identification information, includes a newly overwriting portion, and when the remaining portion other than the newly written portion coincides with a portion of the second identification information, the control unit causes the memory to store the newly writing portion as another portion of the second identification information. In this arrangement, the user can successively overwrite the first identification information.
Preferably, the control unit causes the information storage medium to store read end information with the newly overwriting portion associated therewith when the control unit reads the newly overwriting portion. In this arrangement, the control unit determines which portion to overwrite when overwriting the first identification information.
An electronic apparatus operation system of the present invention in a second aspect includes a portable information storage medium having a read and write record area with identification information written on the record area, and an electronic apparatus which reads the identification information from the information storage medium. The electronic apparatus includes a drive into which the information storage medium is loaded, a memory for storing correspondence identification information corresponding to the identification information, a comparator which reads the identification information from the information storage medium loaded into the drive and compares the read identification information with the correspondence identification information, a starter which operates in response to the output from the comparator, and an additional storage device for storing, in the memory, at least a portion of additional information about the identification information stored in the record area, as a portion of the correspondence identification information.
In this arrangement, the electronic apparatus or at least one function of the electronic apparatus is started using the portable information storage medium. In this case, identification information stored in the information storage medium can be added. The addition of the identification information includes overwriting of information, namely, deleting information and then writing new information on space left after the deleted information. Preferably, the drive and the comparator exchange information with each other through radio link. In this case, the information storage medium is mounted on a wireless commander, and the identification information is transmitted to the electronic apparatus through the wireless commander.
Preferably, the electronic apparatus is an onboard apparatus.
The present invention in a third aspect is embodied in an authentication system that determines whether to enable or disable at least one function of the electronic apparatus, based on user authentication. The authentication system includes an information storage medium for storing identification information of the user, a control unit which reads the identification information from the information storage medium and determines whether to enable or disable at least one function of the electronic apparatus, and a memory which is controlled by the control unit and stores authentication information for authenticating the user, wherein the information storage medium includes a record area for storing additional identification information set by the user, and wherein when the authentication information includes additional authentication information and when the additional authentication information coincides with the whole or portion of the additional identification information, the control unit enables at least one of the functions of the electronic apparatus to operate.
The added identification information is compared with the additional authentication information in the electronic apparatus to perform authentication. The identification information is added to the information storage medium by storing the additional authentication information in the electronic apparatus by any means. In this case, as well, the addition of the identification information includes overwriting of a portion of the identification information (partly deleting information and then writing new information on space left after the deleted information).
Preferably, the additional identification information includes user information set by the user, and a flag associated with the user set information, wherein the control unit determines whether the user set information associated with the flag having a first predetermined value, out of the additional identification information, coincides with the additional authentication information. In this arrangement, the additional authentication information of the electronic apparatus and the user added identification information to be compared therewith may be differentiated by flag.
Preferably, the control unit causes the memory to store, as a portion of the additional authentication information, the user set information, out of the additional identification information, associated with a flag having a second predetermined value different from the first predetermined value. In this arrangement, a predetermined portion of the added identification information differentiated by flag may be stored in the electronic apparatus as the additional authentication information.
Preferably, the control unit overwrites, with the first predetermined value, a flag, in the information storage medium, associated with the user set information to be stored in the memory as the portion of the additional authentication information. In this arrangement, whether to compare the user set information read in the electronic apparatus with the read authentication information, namely, the additional authentication information is determined by referring to the flag.
The authentication system may include an identification information storage device for storing the additional identification information in the information storage medium. The control unit stores the second predetermined value to a flag in the information storage medium, other than the flag having the first predetermined value written thereon. The identification information storage device stores new user set information in a segment of the record area to which the user set information associated with the flag having the second predetermined value is to be stored. In this arrangement, the addition to or overwriting of the identification information is performed using a record area other than an area for the additional identification information (the user set information associated with the flag having the first predetermined value) to be compared with the additional authentication information. The overwriting of the identification information does not destroy data required for authentication.
Preferably, the authentication system further includes an identification information storage device for storing the additional identification information in the information storage medium, wherein the control unit stores a third predetermined value different from any of the first and second predetermined values, to a flag in the information storage medium other than the flag having the first predetermined value written thereon, and wherein the identification information storage device stores new user set information in a segment to which the user set information associated with the flag having the third predetermined value is stored, and the identification information storage device stores the second predetermined value onto the flag. When the overwriting of the identification information is performed, the control unit recognizes, out of the record area of the information storage medium, an area which stores information other than the additional identification information (the user set information associated with the flag having the first predetermined value) to be compared with the additional authentication information, by referring to the flag having the third predetermined value, and uses this area for overwriting.
The present invention in a fourth aspect relates to an information storage medium loaded at the startup of an electronic apparatus, and having portability for authenticating a user of the electronic apparatus. The information storage medium includes an initial identification information record area on which initial identification information corresponding to initial authentication information stored in the electronic apparatus is stored, and a user record area-on which user set information set by the user is stored.
In this arrangement, the user adds the user set authentication information set by the user himself by allowing the user set information to be recorded in the information storage medium.
Preferably, the user record area includes a user record section for storing the user set information, and a flag record section, associated with the user set information, for storing a flag representing the nature of the user set information. In this arrangement, whether to treat the identification information set by the user as information to be read or to overwrite information in the electronic apparatus is easily determined by flag.
Preferably, the information storage medium stores a startup software program for starting up an identification information storage device that stores the user set information in the user record area or for starting up a software program operating in the identification information storage device. In this arrangement, the addition or overwriting of the identification information is performed by simply loading the information storage medium to the identification information storage device.
Preferably, the startup software program has the function of authentication.
A method of the present invention in a fifth aspect for performing authentication determines whether first identification information stored in a first storage device coincides with second identification information stored in a second storage device. The authentication method includes a first step of storing additional information to the first identification information in the first storage device, a second step of storing additionally storing the additional information onto the second storage device as a portion of the second identification information when the first identification information other than the additional information coincides with the second identification information, and a third step of determining whether the first identification information containing the additional information added thereto coincides with the second identification information with the portion added thereto. The user thus modifies the identification information by himself by successively storing additional information added to the first identification information to the second storage device. The addition of the additional information includes overwriting of the identification information, namely, partly deleting information and then writing new information on space left after the deleted information.